Northfield, OH – Following a surprise victory in last Saturday’s $75,000 Buckeye Stallion Series Championship, Our Honor Defend will look to pull off another upset in the $125,000 Grade 3 Courageous Lady on Saturday (Oct. 11) at MGM Northfield Park.
When Our Honor Defend went to the gate last week, the betting public may have dismissed her chances, but her co-owner, Keith Gisser, never lost faith.
“We were 10th in points, but we were pretty sure we’d get into the race,” said Gisser. “We had a lot of confidence in her, the trip just needed to work in her favor.”
Driver Case Bateson executed the trip to perfection. After settling third early, Bateson bided his time with Our Honor Defend. Down the backstretch, Our Honor Defend was briefly locked in, but at the three-quarters in 1:24.2, she found room to move. Swinging three-wide around the final turn, she surged through the stretch to nose out her stablemate, Anna Loves Bananas, in 1:54.2.
Racing in Saturday’s Courageous Lady began as a lighthearted comment but quickly turned into reality.
“I joked with Dave Bianconi, Northfield’s director of racing, on Saturday and asked if he needed a horse for the Courageous Lady,” Gisser recalled. “When the draw came out, we were listed as also eligible, but I never actually thought we’d make the race.”
His skepticism changed Thursday morning when Pilar Hanover scratched from post eight, giving Our Honor Defend a spot on the starting gate.
While the outside post presents a challenge, Gisser and his team are focused on enjoying the journey.
“Post eight is tough on a half-mile track; I’ll be shocked if we get away better than ninth,” Gisser admitted. “We know we’re facing a different class of fillies on Saturday, but her late kick makes me think she can still get a piece of it.”
Gisser credits patience and teamwork for the daughter of Lost In Time making steady progress.
“Driver Case Bateson and trainer Scott Betts have been incredibly patient with her,” he said. “She hasn’t been easy to manage, but they’ve done an amazing job.”
The $125,000 Grade 3 Courageous Lady is one of nine stakes races on a power-packed 15-race Saturday program at MGM Northfield Park. The evening also includes eight $50,000 Ohio Fair Championships and a pair of paces featuring all-female drivers.
From a wagering perspective, fans can look forward to two $20,000 estimated Pick 4 pools in races eight and eleven. Both feature a $1 minimum and a low 14% takeout.
First post time on Saturday is 6 p.m.